Thousands of pro-life campaigners across the nation are preparing to participate in the 11th annual Walk for Life West Coast event, held on the 42nd anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States.
Last year, over 50,000 people attended the event, which began in 2005 in San Francisco, CA as a grassroots effort by area residents seeking to "change the perceptions of a society that thinks abortion is an answer" and to celebrate the sanctity of human life. Today, the annual Walk has established its place among the largest pro-life events in the nation.
On January 24, 2015, participants will begin walking at the Golden Gate Park and will finish before the highlight of the day's program, which will begin at 12:30 PM with a rally at the Civic Center Plaza.
There will be many notable speakers at the event, including Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the Holy Father's Ambassador to the United States since 2011.
Walk for Life co-founder Eva Muntean was quoted in Catholic-San Francisco as saying, "What an honor. We are so excited. This is the next best thing to having the Holy Father himself with us!"
Additional speakers include pro-life ministry veterans Jim and Joy Pinto and the Rev. Clenard Childress, founder and director of BlackGenocide.org, a ministry which seeks to inform African-Americans about the devastating effects of abortion.
Julia Holcomb, author of The Light of the World - the Steven Tyler and Julia Holcomb Story, will also share her experience as the 16-year-old girlfriend of Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler. At 17, she became pregnant by him, and at five months, was convinced to undergo a saline abortion. Today, Ms. Holcomb works as a voice and advocate for the unborn. She has been married for 30 years and is the mother of seven children.
The featured speaker will be Rebekah Buell, who will tell her incredible story of taking the abortion drug RU-486, reversing it and giving birth to a healthy son, Zechariah.
"I have a special place in my heart for young women who feel abortion is their only option," Ms. Buell said. It is all too easy to assume the worst but in reality, it often all works out. The family that swore they'd disown you becomes your support system, and the life you thought would be impossible with a baby becomes possible and better than ever."
Following the rally, Walkers will march down Market Street to Justin Herman Plaza. There will also be many other activities, informational booths, and events.
"We would like to show people that there are far better choices available than abortion. We would like to show women and men that there is help and healing after an abortion. We are saying: "Life is the best and only choice," Ms. Muntean has said of the event.
For more information or to participate in the event, visit WalkForLifeWC.com.
